Mongolian Beef

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to try some new recipes and expand our culinary horizons! You too? Then join us as we learn to make this Chinese-American restaurant staple: Mongolian Beef! Yes, it’s totally possible to make this favorite at home, and not only will it remind you of some popular chains’ most popular dishes, it’ll taste even better.

Now, we’ve made Mongolian Beef before in our slow cookers, but we thought it was about time that we learned how to make it on our stove tops, too. After all, one of our favorite things is learning how to make foods we normally order out, and there isn’t anything we order as often as Chinese food! The recipe below is simple enough that any home cook should be able to follow it, especially with our video to guide you, and it joins our Baked General Tso’s Chicken and Easy Orange Chicken as dishes we’ll never have to order again. Check it out, then read on for the full recipe!

Directions

Marinate the sliced flank steak for 1 hour in the 2 teaspoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch.

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Dredge the meat in the remaining ½ cup of cornstarch until lightly coated.

Heat the 2 cups of vegetable oil in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke (at 375-to-400 degrees Fahrenheit or 190-to-200 degrees Celsius), spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the pot, and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending upon the heat of your oil. The cooked steak should be light golden-brown and crispy. Remove the cooked steak to the sheet pan lined with paper towels to drain.

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Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil used to cook the flank steak to the pan. Add the garlic, dried chili flakes (if using), and ginger. Cook for 15 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Add the broth (or water), brown sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved.

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Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes, and then add in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Add the cooked flank steak and toss in the sauce until all the beef is well-coated. Cook for another 30 seconds, until the steak is heated through. All of the sauce should be clinging to the beef. If you find the sauce is a little thick, add more broth or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to adjust the consistency of the sauce to your liking.

Chef’s Tip

In step 5, make sure to have all of the ingredients at hand, because the next part happens quickly!

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Yum! How delectable does that beef look?! Of course we recommend serving it with rice, but it would also go great with some fried noodles or steamed vegetables like broccoli.

So what do you think? Which sides will you serve with your Mongolian beef? Do you think you’ll give this recipe a try, or will you stick with our slow cooker version? Are there any changes you’d make to this version? Tell us if you give it a try, what you do, and how it turns out for you!